[johnl2009]

Had my mini for about two weeks now. I installed Win7 on it as soon as I got it. It ran like a CHAMP. Never crashed on me, fast as lightning. I was very impressed.

So I'm sitting on the couch, watching TV, my wife wants to try out Skype, so I'm getting her mini set up with it while I'm surfing around, and I see theres a BIOS update. Awesome, i think. So I grab the file and download it. I'd had some concerns that it was running pretty warm during CPU intense applications (Outlook 2007 open, Chess, Antivirus running background services, and Firefox downloading), so I was looking through the forums to see how people were dealing with heat problems, specifically about the thermal pads that come misaligned.

I ran the bios app from the desktop. It was plugged in, I had a full charge, and I had applications open (it said to close them - so I was in the process of doing so before I started), and it was running a bit too warm, so I was just about to close things down to power it down too cool off before I flashed it (I'd done nothing more than open the exe - hit no buttons, nothing) - when the mouse stopped moving. Screen was still lit up, desktop was still there, but no response. I let it sit for a minute or two thinking maybe it was running some i/o intense stuff, but no response. So I powered it down.

Then I powered it back up. And nothing happened. The light stays on whenever its plugged in, but I get no desktop. I pulled the battery, I replaced the battery, I tried it plugged in, I tried it unplugged, I did anything I could flipping think of. But nothing worked. My mini seems to be toast.

At this point, the On/Off light (not the battery light) comes on when I plug it in, and when I unplug it and power it up, the light comes on as per usual, but I get no display. I hit the power button and hold it down for 5 seconds, and it goes out. I've tried hooking it up to an external display, but nothing comes up there either. I can't see if the drive is doing anything because there's no activity light, and there's no caps/num lock light to give me signs of life that way either. If I turn it on while running on battery and leave it on, it generates heat - that tells me something's happening?

Now, oddly enough, my wife said hers was getting really, really warm today too. She turned it off, and it wouldn't come back on. She pulled the battery, let it cool, and about 5 minutes later it came up right as rain. Obviously, no such luck for me.

Sadly, I've just found http://mydellmini.com/forum/bios-a02...914.html#p6885 and http://mydellmini.com/forum/bios-a02...s40.html#p8359 talking about a bricked mini. Tell me this isnt so. Tell me they didnt ACTUALLY put out an app that says "Close everything!" then actually BEGINS to flash the bios before you confirm it. Please, tell me there's hope for my mini beyond sending it back to the factory to have it defiled (http://mydellmini.com/forum/bios-a02...60.html#p10215)...

Rgds -
JohnL

[bozeefus]

based on the links you supplied, you bricked your mini. all the posts i've read recommend performing bios update in DOS

[somms]

bios-upgrade-utility-split-from-bios-upgrade-failure-topic--t1063.html#p7011

You may be able to recover your bricked Mini but only thru the use of external USB floppy drive...

[anguish]

I have recovered from a failed BIOS flash using a USB floppy. Worked like a charm. I couldn't believe it either when it happened. Of course, then i did some searching here and read about it. Yeah, DOS flashing only from now for me.

[yakinikku]

when i updated from a00 to a04 the whole mini froze up. i just let it sit for a long long time until it automatically rebooted. after that it was golden. patience is a virtue.

[leeosenton]

I don't know about bad flash recovery, but I have flashed 3 Minis using the Windows utility. Others here have posted about the tool also. It does work, but it starts flashing without notice and gives the impression that the machine is locked up. So, in the name of others not falling to the same issue:
- The Windows tool is okay to use if booting to Dos is not possible / desired
- Ensure all programs are closed
- Plugged in and battery charged above 70%
- Launch the flash utility and do not shut down the machine
- The longest flash I recall was about 3 or 4 minutes (which seems like forever when you are watching it)
That is it, no great secrets except it starts with no warning and will trick even an experienced system maintainer into believing it has locked up. Good luck with the recovery effort and hopefully you won't have to dance with Dell support (although this is a valid warranty issue because the Windows flash tool is poorly implemented).

Lee

[yakinikku]

Originally Posted by leeosenton

I don't know about bad flash recovery, but I have flashed 3 Minis using the Windows utility. Others here have posted about the tool also. It does work, but it starts flashing without notice and gives the impression that the machine is locked up. So, in the name of others not falling to the same issue:
- The Windows tool is okay to use if booting to Dos is not possible / desired
- Ensure all programs are closed
- Plugged in and battery charged above 70%
- Launch the flash utility and do not shut down the machine
- The longest flash I recall was about 3 or 4 minutes (which seems like forever when you are watching it)
That is it, no great secrets except it starts with no warning and will trick even an experienced system maintainer into believing it has locked up. Good luck with the recovery effort and hopefully you won't have to dance with Dell support (although this is a valid warranty issue because the Windows flash tool is poorly implemented).

Lee

haha, mine took something like 15 minutes. i was freaked out but i knew that if i turned it off that it would do FAR more damage.

[ishagi]

Yes, the mistake the OP made was to shutdown the mini while it was flashing the bios. Patience. Flashing typcially takes a long time as it needs to 1. store a backup, 2. erase, 3. write, 4. verify. Writing is the longest procedure.

I've used the windows exe each time I've updated the bios and it's worked flawlessly. I prefer it over DOS but I acknowledge the risks.

I hope the OP can find an external floppy and try to fix his mini and report back on his success and/or failure. :|

[anguish]

The issue is that Dell released it and while it may work, it doesn't give you any indication that it does. Especially since it automatically does it. I thought mine had frozen as well, as I couldn't do anything at all in the OS. Not good.

Either way, the USB floppy trick works quite well.

[johnl2009]

So first off, thanks everyone for the responses, especially so quickly. Greatly appreciated.

I'm going to try to get my hands on a USB floppy drive. But let me ask this - does it have to be a floppy? Or are we talking any USB flash device? I have plenty of those on hand, and not so many floppies.

And second, I'd like to reply to this statement:
"Yes, the mistake the OP made was to shutdown the mini while it was flashing the bios. Patience. Flashing typcially takes a long time as it needs to 1. store a backup, 2. erase, 3. write, 4. verify. Writing is the longest procedure."

Yes, I agree that shutting it down during the flashing was a mistake. As a relatively educated computer user, I know full well that when something as critical as a BIOS flash is in progress, you leave it the hell alone. My issue with this is that the damn thing didn't TELL me it was flashing. Every other bios flash util I've used (and I've used my fair share) says "We're gonna flash your BIOS, OK? Tell me you want to continue." And sometimes they say "This could be problematic, are you SURE you want to continue?" Never, ever, have I used an app that opens itself up and just jumps right in.

It was a crap set of circumstances. The window was covered up (by firefox and my AV app as I was exiting it) when it locked up. It was running extremely hot, which lead me to believe it was an overheating issue, combined with an app that is (in my opinion) poorly designed. Add these together, and the OP ends up with a rather glossy paperweight. But hopefully to be recovered soon.

Thanks again everyone. I'll look forward to replies about the floppy drive, and if it has to be one or if a flash drive will be suitable.

Rgds,
JohnL